David States' Story:
After being released from prison in December 2014, David States came to Brookside Community Church. When asked what Brookside could do for him, he said, “I just need to be in my Father’s House”.
He struggled to hold back tears as he began to share his story. He had just served a 10-year prison sentence. There, he encountered Christ and his life was transformed. Getting out of prison was a huge reality check for him. He was scared. He didn’t want to return to his old ways. He knew that left to himself, he would. He didn’t know what he needed. But he knew where he needed to be; in His Father’s house. Brookside Community Development Corporation established a reentry program to walk alongside individuals like David.
People often find Christ in prison or in recovery programs and long to walk this newness successfully. But many get sucked into old habits, friendships, and lifestyles, leaving them with debilitating guilt and shame. They desire change but need a place to succeed. A place that will walk with them through the pain of leaving behind past friends or family, and the struggle of addiction. They need a place that will open up opportunities for housing, jobs, and mentoring. A place where mistakes can be made, and forgiveness is freely offered.
Brookside CDC creates a place where people like David can walk reentry out in a dignified way, within the context of Christian community. This is the work that Christ has called the Church to do, to throw open the doors and help others to pursue new life in Christ.
David States committed to our community the very first day out of prison. On October 30th, 2015 he was accepted as the first resident of Isaiah House, Brookside CDC's transitional housing program. Soon after became the house manager overseeing 4 other men in the house. He worked through difficult employment struggles with a sex-offender case that kept him from good jobs. He struggled with past relationships and problems, but through it all David continued to be faithful to God and his Brookside community.
David has said, "I don't know where I'd be without a community that continued to believe in me. Even when I made the wrong decisions, the church stayed with me. They have shown me Jesus in ways I needed even when things were hard."
On December 2019, David finally said good bye to Isaiah House and finished Parole. He received affordable housing through Brookside CDC's housing program. Got his dream job in electronic manufacturing, and teaches Bible Study for Brookside Community Church family. He continues to be a mentor to each man who is transitioning into the Isaiah House programming. And in 2020, He met his new wife.
God has taken a man who once ripped apart the fabric of this community and is now restoring him to be a man who is mending the broken pieces of our community.